Stellaris: The jewel of the Paradox GDC press conference

At their GDC press conference, Paradox Studios, creators of the Crusader Kings and Hearts of Iron series, unveiled yet another addition to the grand strategy genre — this time, with a little twist

Scheduled to release on May 9, Stellaris is an upcoming grand strategy title that places a strong emphasis on space exploration and intergalactic colonization. Players will start on a single planet, controlling a random alien species who have just recently discovered faster-than-light travel. From there, they will be responsible for guiding that civilization into the deep depths of the galaxy.

The developers behind Stellaris wanted to do something a bit different from earlier titles in the grand strategy genre. They felt that since players have become so familiar with the setting that the previous games have taken place in, there was little to no incentive to explore.

However, this time it’s different.

With an enormous selection of alien races, unique species, and random events, every new playthrough will be a unique one. Each map will contain thousands of planets, populated with species that have their own individual traits and styles. The game will also offer an advanced diplomacy system and a ship designer as a means for players to interact with other civilizations as they see fit.

“The game might play like a classic 4X, but after borders start being established, will play similar to most grand strategy games.

Stellaris also claims to be the most accessible to new players. Previous titles such as Europa Universalis and Crusader Kings are notorious for having steep learning curves — scaring some new players away. This time, developers behind the game promise that the game is the most accessible of the bunch.

With a release date on May 9, Stellaris looks like it will be a very promising title. And it may just revitalize the grand strategy genre.